Leap of Faith
by RingosGarden
Summary: A Draco/Hermione fic starting during 4th year. Not sure where it's going yet but give it a chance and I will. Beginning with the Yule Ball. T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**Hate me later- read this now. 3 Love you all.**

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_"You're not telling me someone's asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?"_

My words echo in my head as I watch the scene before me unfold. I didn't expect to run into anyone on the back stairwell. I just wanted five minutes to myself. Just five minutes without Pansy's constant nagging in my ear. How to dance. How to speak. Who to talk to at her precious dance- and fucking _when_. A Malfoy doesn't take that shit from anyone- especially an annoyingly clingy bint like Pansy.

I assumed I'd be alone.

Not alone with Granger after her and Weasel just had words.

She doesn't see me yet- but I can see her. I see the tears begin to fall down her porcelin-like cheeks. She drops to the ground- her layered dress falling around her as she sits on the stairs, crying in a pink, lacy, circle.

I shouldn't be seeing this. No one should be seeing Gryffindor's bloody fucking princess like this. Crying on the stairs and vulnerable.

Someone could take advantage of this. _I _should be taking advantage of this.

"Fuuuuuck," I mutter softly to myself, before pushing my body off the wall.

"Get up Granger." She jumps at my voice, and turns to me- a glare on her make-up stained face. _Muggle make-up._ "Someone could see you."

She scoffs at me with a hollow laugh. "Like _you?_ Congratulations Malfoy, here's another one for your arsenal. The stupid Mudblood crying over a boy. Very fucking funny."

Granger starts outwardly sobbing now, and begins to take her shoes off. I'm not sure what to say. I don't think I've ever heard Granger say Mudblood before. Or curse. I think she's actually rendered me speechless.

I take a deep breath and walk over to her. Shaking my head, I kneel down beside her. "Granger."

Slowly, she looks up at me. No malice in her face anymore. She just looks...broken.

"Why don't you just leave me alone?"

_I don't know. I can't. I don't knowww._ "You shouldn't be seen this way." Is all I can tell her. I should just leave her here. Let her boy-who-won't-die come to her rescue.

But no one else is around. It's just me and her.

"Come on," I tell her, standing. I take a few steps down the staircase and look back to her.

She looks at me skeptically, but stands after a short hesitation, sniffling, but still crying. Silently now.

I turn back around and continue down the staircase. _What the fuck am I doing?_ _I'm leading Granger on a midnight stroll through the fucking castle after the Yuleball._ She follows me a full paces behind me and I change a glance at her as I turn around a corner and begin up a different set of steps. She must have cast a charm on her face because there's no trace she's been crying other than her eye's visible sadness. _Fucking pathetic. All over Weasel. _

The steps split in two directions and I turn left. With another minute's of circular climbing we come out inside a tower near the east side of the castle. It's typically not used until 7th year astronomy so it's seldom used by students. Especially as it's a decent trek to get to the top and located off a remote part of the castle. Snape had taken me here once during second year and I've used it for privacy ever since.

And now I'm with the Mudblood Granger.

_Bloody hell._

I walk into the tower and sit on the lone bench in its center. I don't have to look behind me to know that Granger's halted at the entrance.

"I won't bite, you know," I tell her, looking out at the clear Winter sky. "I just come here sometimes...to be alone." I stop myself from saying anything else, and just shrug. _What am I doing?_

It feels like an eternity, but eventually she sits down beside me on the bench- scooting as far away from me as possible.

"You can't blame me, Malfoy," she says after I roll my eyes at her actions.

"Actually I could stand to have you alot further away than that."

"Prat."

For a while we sit in silence, looking out on Hogwart's grounds. The stars are bright in contrast to the black night. My breath is coming out in white clouds in front of my face. Granger is shivering to my right.

Pulling my wand out, I conjure a small fire on the stone floor in front of us and she jumps, glaring in my direction.

"What?" I ask with an amused smirk. "Surely even you has seen magic made fire before."

"You just startled me!" She snaps, looking at the fire and back to me. "You didn't use an incantation."

It was a statement more than a question. "Impressed?"

Her eyes narrow and she looks away from me again. "Slightly."

I almost don't hear her she says it so softly, and I can't help laughing. I swear I see a smile on her face as well before a voice interrupts any thoughts I was having and brings me right back to reality and the fact that I'm alone in an astronomy tower, with the Mudblood, after hours. And clearly not hating every moment of it.

"And what is this?"

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We both jump, but I don't need to turn around to know who that voice belongs to. I doubt Granger does either, but she turns towards the entrance anyway.

Internally, I groan, composing myself before slowly turning towards Snape.

There's a look I can't quite read on his face before he masks whatever he was thinking. "Professor," I say slowly.

"I believe it is long past curfew," he states, looking back and forth between the two of us. "Might I ask what the two of you are doing here?"

Granger looks to me for an answer, but I keep my eyes on Snape, not saying anything.

"Up." He sneers. "Now."

We follow him out of the tower and down its steps. When we get to the bottom he turns to Granger. "Go to your tower. We'll discuss your punishment later."

She nods and quickly makes her way down the hall. Snape waits until she turns the corner before looking down at me- an eyebrow raised in question.

"What?" I ask in return, glaring.

"What," he says, and I can hear his annoyance in his tone, "were you doing alone in a tower with Granger?"

_I wish I had that answer_. I almost say it out loud, but I have a feeling I don't have to. Snape always seems to be able to read my emotions. "We weren't doing anything," I tell him. "Just sitting."

"_You_," he says, "were just civilly sitting beside Granger- alone, after hours?"

I purse my lips and look down the hall to where Granger had disappeared. "I have nothing more to say on it."

"Be careful," is all he replies before starting towards the dungeons.

With one last glance down the hall, I follow Snape.

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**Love.**


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO!**

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She hadn't done anything but glare at me since the incident in Care of Magical Creatures. Guess she didn't like my words about the stupid oaf Gamekeeper. I don't know why the Gryffindorks care so much about him anyway. I've never seen him do anything but blunder around.

It's been over a week. She should be over it by now.

"You seem upset over something," I say with a smirk. She watches me as I approach her table in a secluded section of the library.

"I think you know what I'm upset about, Malfoy," she says with a scowl. "What do you want?"

"What do you care so much about a halfbreed for, anyway?"

I swear I see fire in her eyes. "Hagrid's my friend. And if he's a halfbreed to you, than what am I, Malfoy?"

_Good question. Infuriating. Annoying. Bloody fucking brilliant. _"I think you know what you are to me," I tell her.

"Then why are you here?"

_Even better question. Because I hate my friends? Because I'm bored? Confused? ...infuriated._

Without responding, I turn and quickly leave the library. _Can't wait for detention tonight._

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"No magic," Snape sneers before leaving the classroom.

I sigh and try my best to not look at Granger before making my way over to a dirty cauldron. _Fucking Severus_.

"It won't wash itself, you know."

They're the first words she's spoken to me in nearly two weeks. And I don't care.

"Shut your mouth, Mudblood."

"What the Hell is your problem, Malfoy?"

I can't help myself. I look towards her. She's glaring at me, with her normal demeanor. Hand on her hip. Fire in her eyes.

"What did daddy have to say?"

She got me by surprise and her smirk tells me she knows it. Fucking infuriating. "Don't talk about things you don't understand," I tell her, taking a step towards her.

"Fine," she says shortly. "Go back to ignoring me, then. Do me the favor." She mutters the last bit, and I turn back to my cauldron.

_Stupid Mudblood._

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I watched the task from the top corner of the Slytherin stands with Zabini.

"Fucker," he says for the fourth time since we started away from the stands. "How do you think Potter does it?"

"Can you shut up about Potter?"

He looks at me with slight confusion. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"Nothing," I mutter, shaking my head. "Didn't sleep well last night."

He lets it go and gestures towards where Crabbe and Goyle were walking up ahead.

"You go," I tell him. "I'm going for a walk."

I don't give Blaise a chance to reply before turning away from the crowd making its way back to the castle, and towards a path around the side of the Black lake. I tuck my hands in my pockets as my fingers begin to get numb.

Turning to the other side of my favorite willow tree, there's someone already sitting there. The same someone that spent all night haunting my thoughs.

"Malfoy."

She speaks first. And nearly as if she had expected me to be there.

"Why is it that you seem to always be around when I'm feeling my worse?"

"This is my favorite tree," I say, ignoring her question. I look at the castle for a few moments before looking back at her. "Shouldn't you be excited that Potter's still alive?"

She sighs. "Of course I am."

"Not happy with Krum?"

Her eyes narrow. Nailed it. I can't help smirking.

"What, not as exciting as you thought he'd be?"

"Shut it, Malfoy."

I wink at her and feel my heart catch in my throat. _Did I just fucking wink at Granger?_ Quickly, I look away from her and at the lowest hanging branch on the tree, I bend my knees and grab onto it. I pull myself up and sit, facing the lake and grounds.

She laughs at me before following my gaze. "He asked me to visit him in Bulgaria," Granger says. "After he pulled me from the lake."

I pause before glancing down at her. "And you don't want to?"

She shrugs and then shakes her head, laughing. "No, not really."

I can't help but laughing, myself. "Then don't," I reply, dropping down from the tree. "Why should you do something that you don't wish to do?"

"You've never done something you didn't want to?"

I lean against the tree, folding my arms against my chest. _All the bloody time._ "Nope."

"You're lying."

I turn to her, and she's smiling at me. I hold her gaze and her face turns serious. "What?"

"Can I ask you something, Malfoy?"

_Anything_... "What is it?"

"Is," she starts, and stops. "Was Karkaroff a Deatheater?"

I wasn't expecting her question, and she can tell- I see it on her face. She stands, quickly, and actually startles me, to my embarrassment.

"Sorry," she says, not meeting my eyes. "That was dumb."

I'm stunned stupid and can do nothing other than watch her flee back to the castle.

_Was Karkaroff a Deatheater?_ She knows who my father is. She's Harry Bloody Potter's best friend. _Why would she ask me that?_

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**Love.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Last Upload for the night;**

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"Come to laugh at me?"

I frown, and turn back towards the infirmary door. _I knew this was a mistake._

"Malfoy...wait."

Pausing, when I turn back to look at her, her lips are pursed. "What are you doing here?"

I shrug at her. "Had some free time before class." It's not a lie. I do. I glance down to her bandaged hands and smirk. "How long are you stuck here?"

She glares at me, moving her hands down by her side to where she was sitting in her hospital bed. "I can leave when I want."

"Hermione Granger, skipping class?"

"Very funny, Malfoy." She says it as if she's annoyed, but I catch her smile.

"Meet me tonight?"

"What?"

I roll my eyes at her, and turn towards the door. "Just do it," I tell her. "Same place as the Yule Ball...Midnight."

Turning the corner, I make my way towards Care for Magical Creatures. _What the fuck am I doing?_

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"I wasn't sure you'd actually show up."

"Neither was I," Granger says, sitting beside me on the bench. For a while we sit in silence, looking out towards the sky.

"So what did you want?"

_Why am I doing this?_ I take my wand out, and to Granger's credit, she doesn't flinch- just watches me as I cast a spell to muffle our voices. "Why did you ask me about Karkaroff?"

She looks away from me, and into her lap. "Why am I asking about him," she says, "or why am I asking you?"

"I guess the second part."

"You've been different with me," she says slowly, looking up, meeting my eyes. "I mean, you still insult me and my friends and are a complete and utter prat in general...but you're different."

"What makes you so sure about that, Granger?" I counter, but I can hear how full of shit I am in my own voice. She's too smart for my own fucking good. And she might even figure me out before I can figure myself out. Fuck. Me.

"I don't think we'd be here right now if it wasn't true, Malfoy."

I don't plan on it, but I stand, looking out into the Spring night sky. It's overcast so most of the stars aren't visible.

"What's wrong?"

I shake my head at her, still focused on the sky. There's nothing I can say to her. Nothing that even comes close to being something acceptable to saying to her. She's a Gryffindor Mudblood and I have no business even speaking to her.

_So why am I?_

"Are you crying?"

I jump. Granger's standing beside me. I place my hand to my cheek- and sure enough, it's wet.

"Fuck off, Granger."

As quickly as I can, I make to run out of the tower. I don't even make it to the stairs before crashing into Snape and falling on my ass in front of both him and Granger. "Fuck!"

Snape stares down at me, glancing to Granger, before regaining his composure. Instead of making a fuss about again finding us alone together after curfew, he surprises me by ordering Granger back to the Gryffindor tower without another word. He nods his head towards the bench and sits down, waiting for me to join him.

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I hesitate before picking myself up off the cold floor of the tower and sitting beside Snape.

"Something happened tonight", he tells me slowly, looking far out into the distance. "Barty Crounch attacked Krum on school grounds, while he was speaking with Potter. Moody is on high alert, and I need to ask you to stay in line and not to do anything foolish. It's not safe for anyone. I know you've been getting letters from your father; you already know this."

"Crouch?" I ask him, ignoring his bit about my father. "That doesn't make any sense."

Snape doesn't reply to my statement. It doesn't make any sense, though. _Why Krum?_ He had to have been after Potter. But Crouch?

"What?"

Snape had asked me something and I missed it.

"I said," he says slowly, turning to face me. "What's going on between you and Granger?"

"Nothing."

He has the fucking audacity to smirk at me. "I know you, Draco. There is little you can hide from me."

I glare at him before looking down at my shoes. "I don't know."

And it's the truth.

I have no fucking idea.

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**Niiiiight. Love. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Cpt. 4 **

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"You've been avoiding me."

She's not entirely wrong. I've also seen less of her around the castle and outside of class lately- but still, she's not entirely wrong.

"Granger."

"You're not even going to argue with me?"

I look up from my potions book. She's found me hidden in the back of the library, working on an essay. Snape warned me if this essay was as 'sub-par' as my last, that my father might be brought into my education. Pillock.

She's smiling at me. "I didn't realize you'd come for an argument," I tell her, using some spare parchment as a bookmark, and closing my text. I frown down at my essay- still too short, and she notices it before I can put it away.

"Potions?" she asks, walking over to me. She pauses slightly before taking the seat across from me at the table. It's late on a Saturday night, and it's highly unlikely for anyone to come by this part of the library in general- which is why I'll hide here. "Want me to look it over?"

"I don't need your help."

"I know."

She's frowning at me when I look up at her. She shakes her head and makes to stand and walk away when I stop her.

"Don't." I nearly want to kick my own ass for how pathetic I sound. But I just don't want her to leave. Not with that look on her face, that seems to only be reserved for her hatred of myself.

Granger sighs and sits back down, while I do the best I can to avoid making eye contact with her.

"I don't get you, Malfoy."

"_Join the fucking club."_

From the look she's giving me, and the laugh she tried, but failed at, concealing- I've accidentally spoken out loud. I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut, better.

I watch as Granger rolls her eyes at me and reaches across the table to grab my essay. I think about protesting, but don't. I could actually use the help at this point- it's due tomorrow.

"You didn't talk about any of the already inherent magical properties of your ingredients. If you do you should be able to get _at least_ another six inches."

She slides it slowly back across the table. "I mean, if you want to mention them," she adds, shrugging. "It's already pretty good."

"I know."

Again with the eye rolling. "Thanks," I add, placing the essay in my textbook. She's right. And it shouldn't take too much work as I already know all the properties and won't actually have to do any research. Another hour, probably.

"I've seen less of you around, also." I say it to break the awkward silence hovering around our table, but I think I just made her more awkward.

"I've been helping Harry," she tells me, hushed. "Prepare for the third task."

"Keeping Potter alive, as always."

She smiles at me. "He'll have to get through a maze. With no idea what he might encounter. We've been using empty classrooms for spell work...but it's getting pretty close now."

She looks nervous. "You scared Potter might not make it through?"

"You wish, Malfoy," she says with a scoff. I can tell that she's joking with me. "It's dangerous, though. I'm worried about him. I always seem to be worried about him."

I don't reply. I might not be minding Granger's company lately, but I have no intention of ever caring about Potter's well being.

She seems to realize my disinterest in talking about Potter and stands from the table. "It's late, Malfoy. I should leave now."

I take my watch from my pocket- ten minutes before curfew. She's right, we should both be going. I still have to work on my essay but I can do that in the common room if it's quiet enough.

Looking up from my watch, Granger's staring at me. I can't read her face, though.

"Are you okay?" She hesitates, before finally asking.

_Am I okay?_ I'm not really sure what to say to her in reply. Her question is an honest one- I don't have to be a genius to hear it in her tone. We're alone in the library and I could tell her anything. I can nearly feel my father's latest letter from home burning me from my inside pocket.

"I'm just tired, Granger."

She doesn't believe me. I wouldn't either. But what the fuck do I say to her. _I think I might not agree with everything my father's ever taught me? _I don't think so. If my father even knew I was in the company of her right now he'd curse me in punishment. I don't want to know what he'd do if he found out that I was doubting our lifestyle.

"Okay," she says, nodding. "See you around."

I watch her disappear around the shelves of books, and sigh. My father is under the impression that big things are about to happen. That the Dark Lord is getting stronger every day, and that our lives are about to drastically change.

Bollocks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cpt. 5**

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"You see this?"

Theo hands me this morning's copy of the Prophet, and I smirk, glancing quickly at the Gryffindor table. Granger, Potter and Weasley aren't there yet, but by the looks I'm receiving, several of the Gryffindors have already read the article.

Skeeter had perfect timing. The third task is later today.

"Potter's going to be furious," Theo says with a large grin.

"Let's hope so," I reply, sharing a smile with Blaise. It had been his idea to give Skeeter another interview about Potter's fainting spell in Divination. It was my idea to talk about Potter's Parseltongue.

"Here they come," Blaise says, reaching across the table to grab some pumpkin juice. He raises an eyebrow at me as most of the hall quiets at their entrance.

It doesn't take long for Granger's owl to swoop down to their table. Across from me, Crabbe and Goyle start laughing.

I watch as Granger's eyes narrow upon opening the paper. Her eyes scan about halfway through the paper before she spits out whatever drink she had taken a sip of.

My laughing is cut off abruptly as she looks directly at me. She shakes her head at me, just slightly, but enough for me to catch it. Her eyes show disappointment before Potter gets her attention by taking the paper from her. He looks towards our table within seconds. Both Crabbe and Goyle wiggle their tongues at him like snakes. I tap my finger against my temple and he tosses his paper across the table to Weasel before leaning in close to talk with Granger.

"Potter seems upset over something," I say, smirking when Potter makes eye contact with me.

"I can't imagine why," Blaise says, taking my eyes off the Gryffindors.

I shrug at him, grabbing a piece of toast off the plate in front of me.

"You seem off, lately."

I glance around us at the table- Theo's moved down a few seats to the girls. Crabbe and Goyle are in their own conversation. No one's interested in us.

He raises an eyebrow at me before taking out his wand and whispering a charm from under the table. The sound of conversations around us instantly lessens, and I can hear him clearly.

"What's up with you, Draco? Pansy? Your father?"

"Everything," I mutter, and he frowns at me.

"This isn't about you two breaking up is, it? You're having doubts."

It's not a question. He knows it. Blaise is smart. I've known Theo since before Hogwarts but I'm closer with Blaise. And unfortunately, he's learned to understand me.

"What's wrong, Draco?"

Even though he's cast the spell, I still glance around to make sure everyone's busy. It's getting near the start of class so students are beginning to leave for exams, but Blaise and I are left alone. There aren't many students that would choose to interrupt a conversation I was having.

"Something's happening," I tell him. I ignore his confused look and continue. "I don't know what- yet. Just that my father is very excited about it, and it's happening soon. I think it has something to do with the Dark Lord and I think it might be happening today."

"Fuck me," he mutters. Blaise has never asked me much about my father, but he knows enough to not doubt what my father has to say on the Dark Lord. Blaise is a pureblood, but his family was neutral in the war. He's heard enough stories to know what life was like under the Dark Lord's rule for those who were not in the inner circle.

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"Just my luck," she nearly moans to herself upon turning the corner. "You, literally, might be the last person I want to see right now Malfoy, apart from _maybe_ Skeeter. What the bloody hell is wrong with you? Do you honestly just get off on making other people feel miserable?"

"Over-dramatic as always, Granger," I reply, in a bored tone. I was ready for her finding me about the article, eventually.

She actually scoffs at me. "Right! Because you're not one for theatrics."

I don't reply and watch her as she walks closer. If it's one thing I've learned about Granger at all, it's you don't mess with her when she's angry. When she gets just a few feet from me she glances to where my fingers hover over my wand, and she's smiling when she looks back up to my eyes. "Nervous, Malfoy?"

"You have no idea."

Fuck. _Fuck_. I watch her face falter. I spoke aloud.

She glances around the hallway, and then asks, "Is there somewhere private you know of where we could talk real quick?"

I think about telling her to fuck off again. Of walking away and ignoring her. Instead I tell her to follow me.

And again, she does.

I walk three corridors over, and duck behind a tapestry. It opens out into a short alcove, maybe twenty feet deep, and magically lit. The tapestry is so heavy that you'd never know there was an open hallway on the other side, instead of a wall.

Moments later, Granger joins me, looking around skeptically. I take my wand out and cast a few privacy spells before looking back at her.

She looks like she thinks she made a mistake.

And she's probably not the only one. Maybe we've both made a mistake.

"What?" I finally ask her.

She hesitates, choosing her words carefully before replying. "You're not like your father all that much, are you?"

_No_. I nearly immediately reply. But just- can't. "I don't know, Granger," I reply after some hesitation, leaning against one of the walls. "Why does it matter?"

"Because you don't have to be," she replies.

Easier said than done. A Malfoy doesn't simply change his colors. It's not exactly looked upon as favorably in our circles. I've been raised a junior Death Eater. I know all of them. And their children; their secrets.

"Malfoy?"

I've zoned out. "I do," I tell her, looking back up. I shake my head at her, pushing myself back up off the wall. "You can't understand what it's like to carry my name."

She frowns at me. "Am I still just a Mudblood to you?"

I turn away from her, facing the tapestry, trying to collect my thoughts. I'm not an idiot. I know that alot of what my father taught me when I was younger is absolute bollocks. It doesn't take a genius to know that an 11 year old can't have stolen someone's magic, to have their own.

I've made enough Mudbloods bleed to know that their veins don't carry actual mud.

"You should get going," I reply, ignoring her question. "I'm sure Potter's looking for you before the task starts."

She walks aver to the tapestry, before pausing. "Make up your mind before it bloody well matters, Malfoy."

She shakes her head at me one last time before disappearing around the corner.

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End file.
